Magic: the Gathering (MTG) is the first ever trading card game and is still the most popular one. Along with its rich history, the game has grown to have its own culture and philosophy, from which many lessons can be learned. Here are some I want to share from my time spent shuffling cards and slinging spells. LESSON 1: Be nice A little bit of context, the most popular way to play Magic is Commander, where each player plays with a 100-card deck, including the general/commander. The funny thing is, this is also the most complex and broken way to play, where 4 people (convolutedly) play not to win, but to allow everyone to ‘do their thing’. So what do we do to manage this format and ensure everyone has a great time? We self regulate of course! Which is very difficult for a game that has over 50 million players. But this is also the best part of Commander. Because each player is coming to the table with fun in mind, we brew more creative and weird decks, we talk shit, we make deals and we collectively lose our minds when our opponent kills everyone with Phage the Untouchable. It’s honestly very easy to do degenerate stuff and win in Commander, but those games won’t make you many friends. This philosophy of ‘fun over winning’ gives Commander the reputation of being a casual format, thus the energy surrounding it gravitates more towards things like showing new players how to build decks, discussions about whether a card is apropriate, how to ensure that everyone meets at the same power level and hipster content creators defending their latest hot take regarding an obscure card from Odyssey/trying to reinvent Commander deck brewing theory (these guys are my favorite). When you boil it down to the core, what makes Commander great is its diversity and inclusivity. I think this is also the main reason why so many people, even women and people in the LGBTQ+ community, have gravitated towards the game. Personally, being part of the Magic community has taught me, a ‘smart’ kid with a big ego, not to be a sore loser (always drafting red only works 80% of the time), to be more open minded (still don’t understand why some enjoy playing stax tho) and to sometimes make decisions that maximise fun rather than efficiency (Sol Ring is not fun and I don’t play it). LESSON 2: Magic is a creative outlet Many don’t recognize that playing and brewing Magic IS creative. When you build your own deck, you have ideas, strategies, biases that inform your decisions, and you brew with the goal of being able to do a specific thing/perform a specific function. Just like when you chose fabrics to make a dress or chose ingredients for a dish or sample music when mixing, each individual card in your deck is just a game piece that when combined with others make for a greater whole. It is game design! With creativity comes self expression, and the cool thing when you play a game with over 30 years of history is the sheer amount of ideas that are present that you can use to play with. In Magic, gameplay wise, you can express yourself through playstyles (aggro, control, midrange, combo are the typical ones) and the color(s) of your deck (Dice Try and The Mana Source both have amazing series analyzing each color and their combination’s philosophy). However, we can do this beyond the limitations of gameplay. Many build their decks with an emphasis on a theme rather than strategy. For example my friend has a Cats only deck, while another has a deck based on Lord of the Rings. Illegal Spellcasting has a video detailing how to build a doomed yuri deck and TappyToeClaws played a Shadow and Sonic the Hedgehog deck that plays Expanded Anatomy on Shuffle Up and Play (iykyk). The possibilities are so endless that researchers have even developed a computer program from just a deck of Magic cards! And it’s Legacy legal! MY PERSONAL DECKS You can find all my decklists on my Moxfield account @Iboltmyself. LESSON 3: Have a third space A third space is a place that is seperated from work/school and home, that is recreational, usually the gathering space of a community. Third spaces are important because they allow for a break, both physically and mentally, from ‘serious’ responsibilities. A third space should be where you are allowed to express yourself in ways that might not be apropriate/welcomed at work or home, without having to explain yourself. In simple terms, it is where you and your nerd friends hangout. And it feels amazing to just show up to a place where people just understand your niche, it’s just so ‘welcoming’. I really like this video by Core-A Gaming, called ‘Analysis: The Need for Community’, that perfectly explains the dynamics of a (nerdy) community and why it is so important. Also shout out to my LGS, Geeky Mart, give them a visit and maybe you’ll see me rummaging through their bulk. A third space doesn’t have to just be a physical space tho. In a world full of uncertainty and hostility, it feels nice to know no matter when, where or who I play Magic with, we all follow the same rules. In Magic I get to decide what I play and how I play, I get to make my own decisions, which is sadly not what many can say. The peak of Magic autism is when you goldfish (play by yourself) your Commander deck for hours after a stressful day to calm down, after which you change a few cards and write a whole blog post about it. Which is what I do! So how can you start playing? As I’ve mentioned before, Commander is the most popular way people play Magic, however, this is arguably the worst way to learn the actual rules of the game. What I recommend is trying out MTG Arena, Magic’s online client. MTG Arena will not only teach you the rules of the game but also let you play for free for as long as you like! Or if you have a friend that already plays, I’m sure they’ll be more than happy to teach you or mayeb even give you a deck. Just remember the most rewarding way to play Magic is with real cardboard and real people. And although I’ve said Commander is not the best way to learn the game, I know that is what everyone wants to play because IT IS the most fun (looking) and sociable format, it’s popular for a reason. As such, I’m giving you a commander to build! In each copy of this zine I’ve included a card/cards that you can use as your commander, these are cards from my personal collection and from my friends’ that have stayed in our binders for too long, waiting for someone to unlock their potential. Now that someone is you! So put on an episode of Game Knights or Shuffe Up and Play or The Magic Mirror Podcast and start brewing!
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